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CARLSBAD, California (KGTV) — A rear-end collision on a Carlsbad freeway off-ramp escalated into a violent road rage attack Sunday night, leaving two people hospitalized and a suspect facing attempted murder charges — and a bystander’s quick thinking helped prevent an already bad situation from getting any worse.
The incident happened just after 7 p.m. Sunday on the Interstate 5 North off-ramp at Tamarack Avenue, when a black Chevy Colorado rear-ended a white Chevy Silverado stopped at the red light. The crash quickly turned violent.
Isaac Mandlawi, owner of Golden Empire USA Builders & Estates, was driving through the area when he passed the scene and sensed something was wrong.
“That wasn’t normal,” Mandlawi said.
Mandlawi says a fist fight broke out between the male passenger of the Silverado and the driver of the black Colorado — now identified as 49-year-old Orlando Query Chavez.
“I saw them fighting on the side, on the right side over here,” Mandlawi said, walking me through the video he took on his phone.
Video captured by a separate witness shows Chavez, with a bloodied face, appearing to punch the female driver of the Silverado.
Mandlawi says her face was “busted.”
About 90 seconds later, California Highway Patrol said Chavez moved to the other side of the truck and stabbed the male passenger several times.
“In that moment, I realized we have to do something about this,” Mandlawi said, with his wife in the passenger seat.
Mandlawi pulled his car into the intersection to block traffic, giving the victims a path to escape. The two drove a few blocks west and stopped their truck on Hibiscus Avenue.
“There was a person on scene over here. I gave them my shirt. They put the shirt over (the man’s) wound,” Mandlawi said.
The male passenger, 27, and the female driver, 22, were both taken to the hospital.
Mandlawi said he got the woman’s contact information before they left and checked in on her Monday.
“They’re feeling a little better. They’re in recovery, but I don’t know the extent of the damages. I mean, it’s, I don’t expect a quick recovery for something like this,” Mandlawi said.
Chavez was located and arrested on attempted murder and assault charges. He is being held without bond and is scheduled for arraignment Wednesday afternoon at the North County Courthouse in Vista.
Mandlawi had a message for others who find themselves in tense situations on the road.
“Take your time, go home. It’s better to wait even 30 minutes and then get to go home and not go home in an ambulance or go home in cuffs,” Mandlawi said.
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